College Football Association of Ireland

Coláiste íde Memphis bound again

26 March 2010

Colaiste Ide will put aside the disappointment of loosing out to IT Carlow in the Colleges FAI Umbro Cup Final as they prepare to head to the United States for the annual John Talley Showcase Tournament hosted by the University of Memphis over next weekend.

The Finglas side winners of the Boys Under 19 Section last season have been regular visitors to this prestigious competition with this being their 11 th year taking part.

Ide's Jim Conroy who together with his colleague Danny Crowley have been in charge over all that period is eagerly looking forward to defending the trophy.' Last year's was very special for us, a really proud moment with both of our teams meeting in the final where the Premier Division side came out on top in a thriller' he said.

This time Conroy is again entering two sides in the Boys Under 19 Sections and a lone girl, Andrea Creevey will also travel and is set to guest for Rush FC Memphis in the Girls Under 19 Section.

The Ide Premier Division side are grouped with Chicago's Mississippi Fire, Shreveport United from Louisiana and the Kansas side 92 Everton FC in the aptly named Under 19 Boys Ireland Division.

While the Finglas Division One outfit will take on Kentucky Rush FC and Scorpions from Missouri in their section.

The tournament is specifically set up for players seeking college scholarship opportunities in the United States and coaches from colleges and universities from all over the country regularly come to assess the quality of players with a view to offering them places.

Conroy expects more than half of his squad over 42 boys to be offered some form of scholarships to US colleges and universities as over the past 11 years many Ide pupils have managed to gain scholarship and go on to establish themselves both as players and coaches in US colleges and universities football.

One of the highlights of this trip for the Finglas coaches will be the chance to meet up with many of those former players when Colaiste Ide hold a Grand Reunion Day during their stay in Memphis with a match between the lads a strong possibility.

A couple of friendly games have also been arranged with university opposition and one in particular is expected to draw a huge crowd to the Mike Rose Stadium next Wednesday to see Ide take on the University of Memphis in a fundraiser for the local Haiti Appeal Fund.